Toyota Canada Test Drives New Type of Media Event that Incorporates Physical Distancing and Health Protocols

Toronto, June 30, 2020 – In the automotive industry, the “media preview” event is a big deal. It’s usually the first opportunity for auto journalists to learn about and explore a new model - and to discuss the vehicle with experts from the company that made it. And, while many discussions can take place online, there’s no better way to answer questions such as “is it comfortable?” than to actually sit inside the vehicle.

So, that raises critical questions for automakers: How do they host important journalists, and give them the all-important first-hand experience, at a time when physical distancing and strict virus-fighting protocols are required?

Toyota Canada recently hosted a totally new type of media event to give select Canadian auto journalists a first-hand look at prototypes of the forthcoming 2021 Toyota Venza and 2021 Sienna.

“We looked at the issues – including the need to give auto journalists a timely and in-person media walkaround while also keeping everybody safe – and we designed an event to address those challenges,” said Stephen Beatty, Vice President, Corporate at Toyota Canada. “For many of the journalists we hosted, this was the first event they’d attended since COVID-19 locked down the country. They appreciated the chance to see the vehicle but were also curious to see exactly how we would design such an event since they’re so important to their work.”

Before the global pandemic struck, a typical vehicle reveal event would take place at an auto show. Indeed, the Venza and Sienna were scheduled to be revealed in New York earlier this year. Journalists would have a brief period – usually in a media scrum – to ask questions before moving onto the next vehicle reveal.

Obviously, traditional auto shows weren’t able to satisfy the necessary physical distancing requirements or COVID-19 cleaning protocols, and were cancelled, so Toyota was unable to reveal the new Venza or Sienna via the traditional approach.

Instead, Toyota hosted a global reveal online on May 18. This gave journalists the opportunity to learn about the 2021 Venza and 2021 Sienna, their innovative features, their place in the market and Toyota’s commitment to hybrid technology. (The Venza and Sienna will only be offered with a hybrid powertrain.) 

Toyota Canada followed this, almost immediately, with a series of in-person events in Toronto and Montreal.

• “Hats off to Toyota, first out of the gate with a ‘new concept’ in-person presentation today, which allowed us to discover, for an hour, the second generation of Toyota's mid-size crossover,” said journalist Vincent Aubé in an article published on Auto123 on May 22, 2020.